22 April - Athens Walkabout!

On the 22nd we had free time till the evening when we were due to join the tour.  So, we had a quick look at the map of Athens and decided on a walking tour.

About 300m from our hotel was Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus (or what is left of it).  Anywhere else it would be strange to have an ancient monument in the centre of a city... complete with volumes of traffic cruising by.

Winner!

Next stop was the Panathinaiko Stadium or better understood as the first Olympic Stadium.  It has seen several re-inventions by different cultures.  The last of which was the renovation for the 1896 Olympic Games.  Karen and I did the audio tour (you pay some Euros and get a set of headphones... you enter a number at different stations and you here the relevant story).  We walked and ran on the track, sat in the stone thrones of the King and Queen of Greece... yep, we did all the touristy things, got the photos and loved it.

The King and Queen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panathinaiko_Stadium





We then went to visit the President.  I don't think he was expecting us because the guards made us stay behind the white line! (there was a paved white line in the footpath all the way round the residence) The President's Residence (formerly the Royal Palace) was built in the style of an 1800's government building... fairly bland to the outside!

On y va!  Next... was the National War Musem (I can hear the groans... it is a military history tour!!).

Hotchkiss 47mm Anti-tank Gun

Mosaic-Byzantine Madonna

Next was the Byzantine and Christian Museum.  From the street it looked fairly ordinary and small but as we entered we found different levels and interesting displays from the named periods.  The displays of antiquities and art were more interesting than I would have thought (not as interesting as the Military Museum of course!!).

Presidential Guardsman

We then made our way past the Parliament Buildings. Adjacent to the Parliament is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  We happened to arrive just before the hour... this was fortunate because on the hour the Guard is changed (the guard is maintained 24hrs per day by the men of the Presidential Guard). The Greeks wear a traditional uniform and have a unique style of marching.





Then the boring stuff... into the main shopping area.  Everything from department stores carrying the high price brands... to African immigrants selling the high price brand knock-offs.   The Africans and the Police seem to play their own version of 'hide-n-seek/tag'.  There is typically a lookout who warns the 'sellers' that the police are coming. The sellers then sweep up their products and bolt! The Police then dawdle around.  The sellers wait for the Police to go and then set up again... and so goes the game!

We wandered (purposefully) around the Plaka (main tourist area and the area of old Athens).  There are many small stores and restaurants dotted in the maze of narrow streets!  We grabbed a snack at one store... the owner loved Australians and gave us two shots of clear liquid (it was a homemade potent alcohol). Lots of walking and a very interesting afternoon.

In the evening we joined up with the tour. There are 36 folks on the tour.  75% of whom have/had a relative who was involved in the Greek Campaign of 1941.  They are a broad cross-section of Australians.  Our first activity was to take a walk through the Plaka (deja vu). However, this time we had a guide who provided some 'colour' by way of stories, legends and myths.  We visited a bar (who'd of thought that would be part of an Australian tour) and tried some Ouzo, along with some olives, cheese and bread. Then we had a look at a few historic churches.

This provided the setting for attendance at the Procession of the Epitaphs. The Procession is part of the Easter activities. It was a curious blend of religion and uniformed personnel.  The three armed services, the police and the the fire brigade all took part in the procession along with the clergy of the Greek Orthodox Church. We called it a night before the completion of the procession.  On the way back to the hotel we had dinner at another Plaka Taverna!

21 April... Karen's Birthday

Happy Birthday to Karen!!!

Her present was to be awake at 4.45am, travel to Istanul airport and then to Greece.
The usual security checks and customs. Wait for flight.

The flight was uneventful.  Athens is a sprawling city of white/off-white buildings.

Immigration was a bit disorganised.  The Greek officials seemed to be overwhelmed by the arrival of two flights! There were a bunch of US students (15-17 year olds).  They seemed to fit all the stereotypes portrayed in movies... short guy with big mouth; jocks; cheerleaders; cool guy... all of them unable to wear a baseball cap correctly! Anyway, they provided some curious entertainment whilst we waited.

We were met by 'Bill' (a Greek born, US citizen working in Greece).  Bill guided us to the Mercedes and drove us to our hotel.  On the way, Bill gave a forthright summary of how Greece had arrived in economic difficulty.  It was an opinion that was not very flattering to the European Union.

Once we got to the hotel, we settled in and had a nap!

We went for a walk in the evening.  We are staying in the Plaka area which is the main tourist centre.  There are no shortage of shops selling tourist trinkets!!  There are also a variety of beggars! some pleading for money and others selling cheap junk.

We had dinner in a quaint Greek restaurant, complete with guitarist singing traditonal favourites (I think!).  For the Birthday Girl ... we had: a traditional Greek salad, followed by souvlaki and finished with fruit and ice cream.  The food was simple but fantastic!  The guitarist had people up dancing and the majority of others in the restaurant were clapping along.  Cool! eh!

Well that was enough excitement in one day for the old girl... so I took her back to the hotel!

Tomorrow, we join the tour...

http://www.militaryhistorytours.com.au/site/Greece_and_Crete.asp

Please note the 'On Tour' link which will provide a Tour blog.

PS.  Keep the comments coming. We are enjoying sharing our holiday with you all!

20 April

After Anzac Cove we moved back to the other coast where we caught a ferry across to Cannakale (Chan-ak-le).  We were checked into the Kolin Hotel… quite nice.  We had dinner in the hotel, went for a short walk (yes, it was still raining) and then returned to the hotel… and bed.

Next morning we were able to sleep in a little… unfortunately, due to poor operation of the ‘snooze’ button we slept in a lot!  We leapt out of bed (literally)… shower, shave, pack dress and rush to the foyer.   We ended up having enough time to ‘settle’ (as if we were sticking to plan)… calm, cool… nobody noticed the panic… Phew!

 

On to the bus and off to Troy.  We had the same tour guide (Murat) as for Anzac.  He was quite knowledgeable… and told us the many different stories, myths and histories of Troy, the Trojan-Greek wars etc.  The various explanations of the Trojan Horse were: Hollywood version (most dubious… Brad Pitt could never really beat Eric Bana in a fight… beauty pageant maybe, fight ‘no’), Homer’s  Illiad (possible but unlikely… ie the whole Greeks bearing gifts/Helen of Troy story), Troy versus Greek union of states war (for power/wealth, most likely… the ‘Horse’ was probably a form of siege engine).

Troy (Troia) could do with some maintenance… maybe even a ‘renovation rescue’. 

Troy appears to actually be about nine settlements/cities built on the same spot.  Early versions suffered destruction due to earthquakes or  man… in some lucky cases, both.  There is no shortage of building blocks to look at… remnants of 3500 year old mud bricks, stacked stone, carved stone and carved marble.  Of course there was a replica Trojan Horse!  Overall, interesting but….

I would rather have spent the extra time an Anzac!

 

After Troy, it was back to Cannakale. We had several hours to wait for the bus to take us back to Istanbul.  So what do tourists do… eat and shop.  We had Kebab for lunch.  We thought we had ordered a snack but ended up with a plate filling meal+.  Time to do some walking.  We paid a quick visit to the Naval Museum which is housed in the grounds of Fort Kale (a fort/gun emplacement dating back to approx. 1000 AD… apparently built by Sulieman the Holy).  These guns were manned in 1915 and had protected the Dardanelles against incursions from British and French ships.  There was a near identical fort on the Gallipoli Penninsula.  Cannakale is also home to the Trojan Horse from the movie 'Troy'.  It looks very authentic!

Eventually, we boarded the bus for the 5 hour trip back to Istanbul.  By the time everybody was dropped off at their hotel (we were last to be dropped off) it was midnight!  We had to be up at 4.45am the next morning.

The Hotel staff at the Sultanahan were excellent... they assisted us as much as they possibly could.  Wake up call, bags, and early breakfast delivered to our room.  Superb service!! 

 Very happy to recommend!!

http://www.hotelsultanhan.com/

19 April

Up early... which seemed appropriate!

The hotel staff let us raid the breakfast selection before it officially opened!

The tour guide walked into the hotel foyer as we exited the lift... what timing!... just as we had planned!

Just after we boarded the bus the guide announced it would be a five hour drive to Gallipoli!  with a couple of comfort stops.  Istanbul is a HUGE sprawling city... no surprises, it appears to be a blending (if not clash) of architecture and cultures.  The language sounds like a ... Russian speaking Arabic.

When we finally left the outskirts of Istanbul, the countryside changed into a series of rolling hills utilised for agriculture... occasionally interrupted by a township surrounding a factory.

The weather remained bleak... just as overcast but with more constant rain.  In a way it seemed an appropriate setting for visiting Anzac Cove.

By lunchtime we made the rendezvous point... the lunch restaurant.  The meal was simple and nice (tomato soup, salad, kebab meats, a dessert and a coffee).  Then it was time to visit Anzac Cove.

We made our way first to Gaba Tepe where the Australians and New Zealanders were planned to land.  The beach was larger and the ground rose gently.  We had picked up a new tour guide at lunch.  He gave a good overview of the campaign and the Allied intent.  The Royal Navy received a couple of 'mentions'... this was made a little more personal because we had a couple from the RN in the tour.  Next Anzac Cove!

What can you say... Anzac Cove is iconic!!  for years I have heard or spoken of the landing... the charge ashore, the struggle up the steep, rugged cliffs.. the coarse bushes.  Here it was, but it was peaceful.  The small waves of the Aegean lapped at the stony beach.  The cliffs are still as steep as ever (albeit the beach road now cuts across the path). Karen and I wanted to take our time... but the tourguide was hurrying us along.  I don't how much time you need to appreciate the surrounds... we certainly would have liked to stay longer!



Next stop was Beach Cemetery.  I had been asked to find the grave marker of a local (Sunnybank) lad, Private William Turton, 9th Battalion (the Moreton Regiment), killed 20 May 1915.  I felt honoured to place a poppy by his grave stone. (for those who know Sunnybank... one of the main thoroughfares is Turton Street) Not far from where he lay, is another Anzac legend... Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick, at rest without his donkey.

We moved on to North Beach.  This is where the most recent Anzac Day Dawn services are conducted.  Stadiums were being built for the thousands who make the pilgrimmage.  The bustle of delivery trucks and construction teams seemed disrespectful to the required solemnity!  10 Minutes and on our way.

Next stop Lone Pine.  This is the site of the Australian Memorial... and this was where the second of my charges lays (ie also a local lad from the Sunnybank district).  Private Sydney Cresswell, 15th Battalion (the Oxley Regiment), killed 8 August 1915.  Like many who died in the horrific August Offensives, PTE Cresswell does not have a marked individual grave.  He is commemorated on a wall with hundreds of his comrades.  A Lone Pine still stands in the grounds of the Australian memorial... it was propagated from seeds of the original Lone Pine.  15 minutes and on our way!  Karen and I were quickly developing a reputation for being last on the bus.

Next stop Quinn's Post.  Remnants of Australian and Turkish trenches can still be seen.  The road effectively travels through No Man's Land.  The distance between trenches is as little as eight metres.  Not far from Quinn's (at Courteny's Post), LCPL Albert Jacka, 14th Battalion won Australia's first Victoria Cross of the Great War.  In the vicinty of Quinn's Post, Private Frederick William Browne Collins, 14th Battalion, was wounded on 29 May 1915. He is my great grandfather, he was evacuated to Lemnos and did not return to Gallipoli although he rejoined the Battalion and served in France.

Next, the Nek... forever immortalised in the closing minutes of the movie Gallipoli.  Several hundred men, of the 10th Light Horse Regiment (a West Australian unit), charged in three waves across an area the size of a tennis court.  Several hundred lay dead or wounded in a matter of minutes.  The Turkish soldiers were yelling 'stop, stop' to prevent further slaughter.  The trenches of the Australians and the Turks can still be seen.  The area known as the Nek is now a Cemetery.

Lastly, it was on to Chunuk Bair.  This was the initial Anzac objective, as it was the high ground that had views (and fields of fire) to the Aegean to the North and the Dardanelles to the South.  This is a dominant piece of ground.  A monument to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is atop Chunuk Bair as is the Kiwi memorial.





A fitting last word(s) ... In 1934 Atatürk wrote a tribute to the ANZACs killed at Gallipoli:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.

18 April

Time to move on!  So we left the exceptional hospitality of Sue, Serge and Vel... and the people of Savoie!

Many, many thanks to Sue, Serge and Vel!

Serge dropped us off in Chambery so we could take the bus to the airport at Lyon.  The bus trip was uneventful but it was a delightful drive through the French countryside.  The airport was the usual flurry of ticketting, security and waiting.  We looked extensively but just could not find the Qantas lounge at Lyon. We boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul.  The interior was a charming, torquoise!

The flight took us over the Alps, and the states of the former Yugoslavia.

When we landed in Istanbul we realised we were about to pay the price for the near perfect weather in France.  It was overcast and drizzling... and cold!!!  We took a ride to the hotel with a shuttle service who 'love Australians' and give a 'special price'.  No doubt we have paid twice as much as we should have!  Not to worry, we got to the hotel (after the driver asked for directions).

The most curious thing about the drive to the hotel was the way the ancient walls of Constantinople wove through a few centuries of building.  In some parts the wall was crumbling and in others in had been incorporated into newer building.

The hotel was very nice and the staff were excellent... we can vouch for the Sultanahan Hotel.  http://www.hotelsultanhan.com/

A quick phonecall to the Gallipoli tour service made sure that the next day was all set.

Gallipoli... ANZAC!!

16/17 April

The photo is of the street in front of Sue and Serge's home.... our generous hosts and superb tour guides!!






After a special lunch of blood sausage and stewed apples (of course accompanied by bread, cheese and wine), we walked to the Chateau de Miolans, a 12th century castle that became a 16th century prison (at one stage holding the Maquis de Sade). see link for more info
http://www.chateau-de-miolans.com/ The walk was through some beautiful French countryside... it seemed like it was always uphill!



In the evening, Serge prepared a traditional Brittany treat... crepes!!!  There is a fine art to making crepes. Serge made both savoury (salty) and sweet crepes. Also keeping with Brittany tradition, we drank a few bottles of cider.  A great evening!!! and a definite need to do some more walking!!

The next day (17th) Sue took Karen and I to Annecy.  Annecy sits on the edge of Lake d'Annecy.  It is known as the Venice of the Alps because of the canals in the city.  I was a bit worried because Sue had mentioned the word... markets!!!  see link below
http://www.annecy.fr/

The city was buzzing!! In addittion to markets, there were thousands of people who had come for a marathon/half marathon, others had come for a regatta on the lake, and there was a Fiat rally in the mountains. The markets turned out to be nothing to be feared... there were vegetables, bread, cheese, olives, sausage and even more cheese.  We purchased a little of each in order to have a picnic on the shores of the lake.  We also bought some nougat for dessert!!!  The tomatoes we had were called Couer de Bouef (Bull's Heart)... wonderful flavour!

 After our picnic we travelled up le Semnoz (a local ski resort).  However, in spring there is not too much skiing but there is a lot of para-sailing.  The thermals are generated around the moutains and this provides the para-sailers plenty of opportunity to stay aloft.  There was even a little bit of snow on the ground... I had to make a snowball (more icy than snowy) and if you have a snowball... you have to throw it at someone!!

PS. We are looking forward to reading a few comments!